Peach Bowl CEO Stokan Retires After Transforming Kickoff Game Tradition

Peach Bowl CEO Gary Stokan, who announced his retirement at the end of the 2025-26 college football season, is preparing to oversee the Aflac Kickoff Game one final time. Stokan has been instrumental in making the opening-week tradition a must-watch event, featuring marquee ACC-SEC matchups at Mercedes-Benz Stadium.

The ACC is eager to capitalize on this weekend's slate of high-profile non-conference games, which includes Syracuse taking on No. 24 Tennessee and Virginia Tech facing No. 13 South Carolina. The conference is looking to change the narrative after finishing 2-11 in bowl games last season, despite having two teams reach the inaugural 12-team College Football Playoff.

Stokan, who played basketball and served as an assistant coach at NC State, has witnessed the ACC's evolution, with the conference shifting its focus from men's basketball to football. The upcoming weekend showcases the ACC's commitment to scheduling tough non-conference opponents, with additional prime-time matchups against Power 5 foes on the schedule.

As Stokan prepares to step down, he remains optimistic about the future of the Aflac Kickoff Game, despite the challenges posed by the SEC's move to a nine-conference game schedule. The ACC could follow suit, making it increasingly difficult to maintain the high-profile opening-week tradition. Nonetheless, Stokan is confident that his experienced management team will continue to build on the Kickoff Game's success.